FLOOD05189

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Stream Name: All
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Survey of Thunderstorm Rainfall Characteristics - 1979 to 1988
• Date: 9/1/1989
• Prepared For: CWCB
• Prepared By: Henz Kelly Associates
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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MEAN SUB-CLOUD WIND DIRECTION: Provide an indicatDr of
the direction of flow in the sub-clDud layer. It provides
an indication of the degree and direction of moisture flDw.
It also provides an indicatiDn as to orographic lift
contributions. Sub-cloud winds over an area will provide
information as to where there is convergence (where low level
winds are cDming together tD prDvide lift ),

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MEAN SUB-CLOUD WIND SPEED: Provide an indicatDr as tD the
flux(inflDw) of moisture or the lack thereDf in the sub-
clDud layer. AlsD some indication as to cDnvergence and
Drographic lift considerations. Timing of events is anDther
consideration.

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CLOUD LAYER WIND DIRECTION: PrDvide an indication as to the
directiDn of movement of storms.

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CLOUD LAYER WIND SPEED: Provide an indication of speed of
movement of storms.

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PRECIPITABLE WATER: Provide a measure of the moisture in the
atmosphere from surface to 500 MB.

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STATIONARY FRONT: An indicatDr of a lifting surface or area
of potential storm develDpment. Sometimes tends to focus
flows and provide cDnvergence.

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WINDS PARALLEL TO FRONT: With winds parallel tD the front ,the
front will tend to be more stationary and winds will
intensify with heating .

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SHORT WAVE TROUGH PRESENT: A short wave trough is an upper
air pocket of cODl , sinking air which acts as a trigger for stDrms
by providing lift in advance of its sinking motion.

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WEAK SHEAR IN CLOUD LAYER:Weak shear in the clDud layer
allows stDrms to develDp and move little if at all.
Storms can becDme statiDnary or quasi-statiDnary.

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